Sunday, November 29, 2009

Thankful.....

Here we are a few days after Thanksgiving. Alexandra is off at theatre practice for her upcoming high school production of Alice in Wonderland. Michael helped John bring in the boxes of Christmas decor ready to be pulled out. Jack and Tommy are wearing their matching cowboy boots (again!) and climbing all over the swing John set up in the front. Peter and I just got home from the grocery store and picked up (on sale - yeah!) our Christmas turkey to throw in the freezer for a few more weeks. And I reflect on the last week - the ups and downs, the joys and the stresses..... but here are the things I am thankful for with my family -

Peter.... I am thankful for the health he does have and the incredible amount of love and joy he brings to our family. I am thankful for the times he does eat properly and has good color. I am thankful that he is standing and taking a few steps. But, most of all I am thankful for his smiles and his hugs - and the way he so freely shares them with the rest of us.

Tommy.... I am thankful for his laughter and seemingly unending repetoir of silly jokes. I am thankful for his ability to adapt and flow with the needs of the family and his compassion towards Peter - when he can stand up and say “Peter isn’t different, he is just one of us” with conviction. But, I am most thankful that he is my child going through the “I want my mother” stage and will spend the time to quietly snuggle up when I need it most.

Jack....I am thankful for his spitfire attitude in life. I am thankful for his boundless energy and ability to keep up with everyone. I am thankful for his unparalleled ability to see the positive in life and his giving nature. When he rides the mechanical horse at the grocery store he always leaves a couple of pennies on the coin machine so that any child not as lucky as him will be able to use those pennies and have a fun ride too! Today he spent all morning making cut-outs of his hands so he could make coupon books for massages to give to relatives for Christmas... he has a special heart! But, most off all I am thankful for how he always remembers to give a compliment or pat someone on the back for a job well done. As I tell my kids “...people will forget the things you did and the words you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel”.... and with Jack I know he makes people feel special.

Michael.... I am thankful for his growing maturity and sense of responsibility. I am thankful for his inquisitive mind and natural curiosity about life. I am thankful for his ability to be the quiet strength when everyone else is way too loud. But, most of all I am thankful for the times he comes up and rubs my back because he just knows I need it, the little things he does to make things easier on me, and that of all my kids he enjoys spending time with me baking. We share a common love for brownies!

Alexandra.....I am thankful for the strong young woman she is growing into. I am thankful for her inner strength and her desire to do the right thing. I am thankful for when she prays for her friends, and when she talks to me about how to help others. I am thankful for her desire to make a difference in this world - and her concern for children with disabilities around the world. I am most thankful for her honesty and desire to include John and I in her life - the many times she shares what her concerns and joys are, what is going on at school, and her desires for her future.

John....well, what else can I say than he is the man that made the choice to spend the rest of his life with me - ups, downs, and everything in between - I think that makes me a very lucky woman.

This afternoon we started putting away our Thanksgiving and fall decor..... goodbye for another year to my pilgrim statuettes I love so much, and hello to our Christmas decor - the tree, the lights, the nativity and our advent candles. Hello to four weeks of soul setting much needed at this crazy time of the year.

We are thinking of moving our blog to an Apple/Mac based account and probably keep up the carepages. The link is a little lengthy therefore harder to spell out, but the ease of using our Mac technology to do updates may just out weigh the move off blogspot. Please check it out and let us know what you think!!

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About Me

Hello! Let me tell you a bit of what I am, and what I am not. I am a mother, a working mother who struggles every day to leave her children as she takes on challenges outside of the home. I am a wife, I am a daughter, I am a sister, I am a friend. I believe in God, love, and the power of simplicity. I believe in asking questions and caring about the answers. I am NOT perfect.... I rise to some occassions and fall shamefully short of others. I laugh, learn and love - but I also cry, struggle and get angry. I have faith, but sometimes go about it all the wrong way. I fail in a faithful prayer life, but I talk to God every day. I don't have the answers - but I will share what I have learned, and hope to learn from others who share. And, when my journey comes to an end I hope people will remember me as someone who touched their lives for the better - that I was a friend, a wife, a believer and ultimately a mother who wanted to be imperfectly-perfectly-me!